40 days and "footing"



A bicycle made for 1 (I have called it "Flying Scotswomen")

 Today (27th August 2013) marks 40 days until I once more  swim, cycle, run for Raith! I have been training almost every day and with a little over a month to go I am getting excited. I have really been bitten by the cycling bug and have invested in a wee road bike, Flying Scotswomen.

This portion of P n B comes from Rovers 0-0 with Dundee. 
Enjoy

PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR MATCHDAY PROGRAMME



What a difference a few years can make. Early 2012 I was a more-than-over-sized sack of couch potatoes and was not bothered one bit. Then crisis hits Spain. Jobs are lost and time is suddenly not occupied with desks and piles of paper work but an abundance of free time and where better to spend it than in Barcelona trying to get fit (ish).

The Catalan capital is oozing with those trying to get fit. If you are not "footing" (Spanish for jogging, I kid you not!) along the Olympic port, zooming on your bike up the river or attempting to roller blade down Avinguda de Diagonal you are not part of the fitness team. Apart from the occasional dip in the pool I had not done anything serious since high school sports days so to take on the self-set challenge of a mini triathlon was in many (including my own) eyes just madness.

Now, one super-sprint triathlon down and the excuse of "it's Christmas" well behind me I footing down the Diagonal once more trying to prepare for another swim, cycle, run combo. However, running and I have yet to feel the love. In my attempt to plow thru the 5-10km runs I have been playing spot the footie top. With 55,000 tourists arriving in a weekend then I should have plenty to make the kilometers pass quicker. Well no, close to everyone has to have a FC Barcelona top, runners, rollerbladers and those bouncing around in moon shoes! Now these tops ain't cheap. The very popular away top with its Catalan flag-style retails from between 75.99€ to 99.99€ (that 99 cents is very important), nearly 100€ for a football top. Even if only half of the 55,000 weekend visitors  buy a "cheaper" version that is still 2,062500€ and there are a lot of weekends in Barcelona's tourist season. But is it just the "worlds greatest team" who need you to smash the piggy banks to be seen to support them?

The average cost of the cheapest adult ticket in the top four divisions of English football has risen by 11.7% in the past 12 months - more than five times the rate of inflation. That quote from a recent BBC website article answered my question. For a day out to Arsenal last season you were not getting much change from £140 for your pie, programme and entrance. A big difference from the cheap day out you can have going to Montrose FC (£10.60 not including travel). But does the nearly £130 difference make THE difference? Ask a die hard Montrose fan if he would swap Links Park for the Emirates!

But is an day out at the football really that expensive in comparison? To go to the zoo here in Barcelona is nearly 20€ for an Adult. Now I enjoy a wee visit to the zoo but the Pygmy hippos don't score goals that make you jump out your seat nor do the flamingos make a decision  that keeps you talking all the way home. But I bet if they did the zoo would have them queuing out the doors! Of course if you go more than a few times a season ticket is the way to go, but for the "wee day-ooters" a trip to their local football ground is always worth a shot.
So the next time somebody wants a suggestion for a day trip why not suggest the football?



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